Carson's
by Dani9513
Summary: After movie-verse. After the Battle of Manhatten, old foes start to come back. Can Clint trust his new friends or will his new job be cut short? Rated T for language
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Clint's past catches up with him and his new team. Can he trust them enough to tell them, or will his old enemies kill him before he even has a chance?

**Disclaimer:** Considering I only know the Avengers due to the Marvel Website and the movies, I don't own them.

**Chapter One: Memory Lane Nightmare**

_Seventeen year old Clint walked around the carnival, looking for one of his mentors. He had just finished archery with Trickshot. Now, he wanted to ask Jacques for some advice on an acrobatic stunt. Then, he'd go practice before crawling into his bunk under Barney's. They had a big show in Vegas tomorrow and he wanted to get his new trick perfect for it._

"_Hey, Jacques, can you-" Clint cut off, staring at his mentor, Swordsmen. "What are you doing?"_

_Swordsmen whipped around and smiled slyly at his apprentice. "Clint, what are you doing here? You should be practicing. We have a big show tomorrow."_

"_I wanted you to check something… what are you doing in the manager's office?" Clint asked, his brown eye confused. _

"_Clint, this is adult matters." Jacques hissed._

"_I am an adult. I turn eighteen tomorrow." Clint insisted._

_Jacques chuckled and snaked around Clint. His positioned himself between Clint and the door. "Indeed you do. We'll have to do something special at the show. Our little Hawkeye is all grown up. Maybe Trick and I will take you to the casino. We are in Vegas after all."_

_Clint smirked. Out of curiosity, or maybe early instinct, he looked back to where Jacques had been. The managers desk. Clint's eyes locked on a stack of money. "What were you doing with the managers desk?"_

"_Nothing, kid."_

_Clint's eyes locked on the money sticking out of Jacques's pocket. "You're… are you… you were stealing from the manager?"_

_Jacques sighed "Now, what do you say you calm down and we have an adult conversation?"_

"_What are you doing?" Clint growled._

"_Clint, there is something you should know. Everyone at Carson's is talented, but many of us are criminals. I stole the money to pay gambling debts." Jacques continued, standing over the child._

"_But… How could you steal from this place? It's not right!" A young, scared Hawkeye cried. The feeling of the world being ripped out from under him rippled through his veins._

_Jacques smiled falsely at the boy. "Clint, you are too naïve. Listen to me, you will never speak of what you just saw."_

"_Why shouldn't I?" Clint growled._

"_Because if you don't, I'll make you my partner in crime. You will be extremely rich and powerful. You won't have to work a day in your life. After all, child, what career could you get? You have no high school education, you'll never afford college, and you have nowhere to go. Join me, and together we can make millions." Jacques whispered into his ear._

_Clint hesitated. His mentor was right. Clint had no high school education, nowhere to run, and nowhere to go. Carson's was all he knew. His parents had died nearly four years ago, and he didn't have any other family other than Barney. Yet, a large part of him felt disgusted at the thought of criminal life. "No, it's not right."_

_Jacques gritted his teeth. "Either you join me or I kill you."_

_Clint blinked and backed away from the man. "You wouldn't kill me. You always say I'm like a son to you."_

"_Son's die all the time. It would be a pity but all well." Jacques said, taking out one of his knives._

"_Swordsman," Clint began. He froze as he felt his back hit the desk. Nowhere to go but forward._

_Jacques smirked and walked slowly towards him. "Child, you were always too sweet for your own good."_

_Clint did the only thing that he could think of. He stepped forward and kicked the knife out of Swordsman's hand before punching his mentor squarely in the jaw. Shocked, Jacques took a step back and Clint used this as an excuse to run. He sprinted out the door, sprinting even faster when he heard Jacques's cry of anger. He ran towards the circus tent, hoping someone would be there to help. Upon entering the tent and seeing no one, Clint's eyes darted to the tightrope. Swordsman didn't like heights, so if Clint could get up there and hide in the trap door that was hidden in the thick ladder, he could possibly wait for Swordsman to leave. He shook his head and sprinted over to the ladder before climbing. As he lifted the trap door, a voice rang out "freeze, twit."_

_Clint closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then opened them and turned to the Swordsman. "You won't come up here. I know you. You hate heights."_

_Swordsman gritted his teeth. "Come down here, brat."_

"_Why don't you come up here, or are you too much of a coward?" Clint taunted. _

_Swordsman shook his head and began to climb the ladder._

_Clint gulped and looked at the wire. His other mentor, Trickshot, had been teaching him in the art of tightrope as a side project, and he had gotten fairly decent. Right now, fairly decent had to be good enough. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened his eyes. He began to walk the tightrope, arms out, steading his balance._

_Swordsman shook his head and eyed the tightrope. He needed to kill the child, but all he had was a knife. He could fling it at the knife straight into Clint Barton's heart, or…_

_Swordsman grinned ruthlessly before bending down over the wire. He took out his sharpest knife and began to cut the rope._

_Clint glanced behind him as the wire began to shake. His eyes went wide as he saw his old mentor cutting the tightrope. "Jacques!" He yelled, eyes full of terror._

_Jacques grinned further before letting the cord snap._

_Clint yelled as he fell to the ground. He screamed in pain as his leg snapped, along with ribs. He whimpered as he lay sprawled across the rough sandy dirt ground. Blood poured out his leg where his tibia had broken through the skin. His broken ribs made it hard to breath._

_Jacques walked over slowly to the hurt boy. He shook his head as a small amount of guilt and fatherly instinct told him to call an ambulance. He squatted next to the young boy that was destined to be a superhero. "Pity, you could have been a brilliant criminal."_

_Clint whimpered, a tear of pain caressing down his cheek. "Jacques, please…"_

_Jacques shook his head, and put his hands around Clint's neck. He began strangling the child, hoping he would die before someone entered the tent. He ignored Clint's cries of pain and fear. He snapped the child's arm with his foot when Clint reached for his bow. This caused his little apprentice to scream in pain before whimpering Jacques's name over and over. _

"_Jacques…" Clint begged, closing his eyes._

_The world closed around him and the last thing he saw was Jacques Duquesne, aka Swordsman, squeezing the neck of the child he thought of as a son._

_Jacques kissed his apprentice's forehead. "Goodbye, little Hawkeye."_

_He walked out of the room and waited for someone to find the dead seventeen year old star. He needed to worry about how to make a profit when the child he just killed was the star attraction._

**There it is: the first chapter.** I have the entire story written, but it's up to you how you want it to end. Either it ends as is or I tweak it to make a sequel. Anyway, I'll upload the **second** chapter either tomorrow night or Tuesday. Have a nice day/night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two- The Story

Now twenty-seven year old Clint Barton sprang up in his queen size bed in the Avengers Tower. He took a deep breath and rolled over to look at the expensive alarm clock. Two twenty-two am. God, he hated waking up this early. Subconsciously rubbing his leg where it had been broken nearly a decade ago, he sat up and untangled himself from the warm sheets. There was no way he was getting back to sleep after that.

He stood up and went over to the small bathroom sink. Splashing some water on his face he sighed and took a few deep breaths. He couldn't remember the last time he had relived that nightmare. The night he nearly died. His last day with Carson's Carnival of Travelling Wonders.

Shortly after he fell unconscious, his older brother Barney discovered him. Barney panicked and with Trickshot's help he got Clint to the hospital. Clint was in ICU for a week. The hospital bill had been enormous for the insurance less teen. Unfortunately Swordsman had been right, and Clint get a job anywhere. With a broken leg, a few broken ribs, and no high school education, Clint had been screwed. After a year or so with Trickshot healing and mentoring him, Clint had gone to the library and put himself through a quick program to get his GED. He could remember the old lady librarian smiling and letting him sleep in the library whenever he fell asleep studying. She would bring him breakfast, make lunch, and dinner for him. When he finally achieved his goal, the old lady, out of kindness and fondness for Clint, asked him what he wanted for a graduation present. He had shook it off, and refused to the gift while telling her how much she had already done for him. Yet, one morning while he was visiting the old lady, a bow and three arrows were wrapped in a case. She said she didn't pay a dime for it since it was her dead husband's. Clint had thanked her and every night he would go and fight crime.

Wasn't long before he dressed up and was mistaken for a thief. Problem was, the person who mistook him for a thief was Iron Man himself. Tony and Clint kept the whole thing hush hush since Clint was only eighteen when it happened. Clint had ran away and given up on being Hawkeye. Yet, Tony found him four years later and apologized-yes, the great Tony Stark actually apologized- for the mess. He told Clint about the Avengers Initiative and invited him. Clint had agreed to it, and it wasn't long before Tony put him in contact with Fury. A now twenty-two year old Clint became one of the youngest agents SHIELD had.

Clint smiled sadly at the memory. He had spent four years turning into what Swordsman had wanted him to be. He had been a master criminal for four years before Tony Stark-the man was full of surprises- knocked some since into him.

Sighing, Clint left his room and went to the living room to watch some TV. He desperately wanted to practice, but he didn't want to wake any of his co-workers up. God knows what their response would be. Instead, Clint settled for some action movie that had wasn't due in theaters for another couple months. He wondered how Tony had received it.

"Why are you up at three am?" Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, asked him from the doorframe.

Clint turned around and stared at his other mentor. Rogers had taught him nearly everything he knew about hand to hand combat when Clint was twenty-two. The other knowledge came from years with criminals. "Couldn't sleep."

"Me neither." His ally said, sitting down by him. "What's the movie about?"

"Truthfully, no idea. Haven't even been paying attention." Clint answered, eyes locked on the screen.

"What's bugging you, Hawkeye? You look like your night has been hell." Steve asked while staring at him.

"Just couldn't sleep." Clint mumbled, feeling like a little kid again. Trickshot was always like Captain. He would smile gently and ruffle Clint's blond hair while encouraging him. Whenever Clint did something right, Trickshot would smile with pride. Like the first time he hit the bullseye ten times in a row, Trickshot had been so proud of him.

"Why not?" Captain pressed.

Clint sighed, telling himself it was okay to show emotions around teammates. Captain and Stark both knew what a mess he had been, and both knew he was capable of showing emotions. Really, the only person who knew him better was Natasha.

"Just a nightmare. It's nothing. That's the first time I've had it in years." Clint answered, watching emotionlessly as the good guy watched his best friend die.

Captain looked at the screen and flinched. He had been that good guy about seventy years ago. He looked away from the screen and back at his youngest teammate. "What was it about?"

Clint sighed. "It's nothing, Captain."

"Hawkeye, you know you can tell me." Captain insisted.

Clint rolled his eyes. Now that sounded like Trickshot. _Trust me, kid. Close your eyes, and let it fly._ Clint shook the voice out of his head. "Look Captain, it's just an old childhood memory. Rather keep it to myself."

Captain shrugged. "Alright, try to get some rest. God knows what the morning will bring."

Clint smirked as the supposed to be ninety year old left the room. Captain was too nice to them all. _You were always too sweet for your own good._ Clint shivered as Swordsman's voice rang through his head. He closed his head and laid down on the couch. The voice, along with the movie, all became silent as he fell into blissful sleep.

**Chapter Two: **I know it's short, it's kind of a filler chapter, the next one is the same way. Four and five are long by my standard though.

**Thanks for reviews: **jedi-Padawan14, boo, Olimpia. **I was totally overwhelmed by the response so thanks for all the alerts and favorites!**

**Please Review!** Can Anyone think of two villains that seem kind of young?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three- Head Against the Wall

"Wake up, Hawk man!" Thor's loud voice boomed five hours later.

Hawkeye groaned and put a pillow over his head. "Not so loud!" He snapped, reaching for his bow.

"It's in your room." Natasha's voice said, stopping him. He grumbled quietly before throwing the pillow at the nearest person.

Stark growled as the pillow hit his face. Like Clint, he wasn't a morning person. "Why are you sleeping on my couch?"

"Woke up in the middle of the night and came here to watch some movie. Guess I fell back asleep." Clint answered, realizing he was shirtless. His ears turned pink but thankfully Natasha, knowing him, threw a t-shirt that he quickly put on. "Now, why did you have a demigod wake me up?"

"Job, archer boy." Stark said, throwing a file at his barely awake comrade.

"And Fury can't wait…" Clint's voice trailed off and he hoped no one noticed his pale face.

Suspect: Jacques Duquesne

Allies: Swordsman

"You alright, Bird Brain?" Stark questioned.

"Yeah, just fine." Clint mumbled, too busy reading the file. None of the Avengers, not even Natasha, knew Clint's circus past. He intended to keep it that way. "What's he up to?"

"Arms deal, huge arms deal. Planning on selling to Cuba and North Korea." Steve said, leaning against the door frame. "He's got his own army, but it's not his."

"Whose?" Clint questioned, wondering how this could get any better. Note the sarcasm.

"Crossfire's." Dr. Banner, who had also just entered, stated. Natasha's eyes flew to Clint, both remembering Crossfire and Hawkeye's history.

_Fricken great. My old mentor and my crazy enemy. Lovely._ Hawkeye growled and wished he could bang his head against the wall. "Lovely."

Stark smirked, remembering Hawkeye's old history with the crazy villain. "Relax Clint, he's only tried to use you, torture you, kill you, mutilate you, and ruin every chance at normal life you had. What's wrong with him?"

Clint glared at the insane man. "He sent three assassins after me and when they failed, he tried to torture me and use mind control on me. He's insane."

Natasha snickered. "Is the poor baby bird scared of the insane ex-CIA agent?"

He glared at her. "Fine, you can deal with him yourselves."

Steve smiled and shook his head. "Now Tony, what if it was Stane? You'd be as irritated as Clint."

Tony glared at him.

"And Natasha, I have no idea who your nemesis is, but…" Steve shrugged while said woman glared at him.

"Thanks, Captain." Clint mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

"Could be worse, you could know Duquesne too." Tony said, shrugging.

Clint nearly banged his head against the wall.

"Alright team. Suit up! Then, we head to SHIELD." Captain yelled, leaving the room to suit up in his right, white, and blue uniform.

Next Chapter actually longer. Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**So with this slowly coming to a close, I want to know if you want a sequel, and if you can think of two young villains. So far I have Crimson Cowl and Bullseye.**

Chapter Four- Mission

"Welcome team." Fury said, glancing at each one with his eye. "Let's get down to business. Only three of you are attending this mess."

They all stared. There were five of them, so which two weren't going? Banner probably wouldn't since this wasn't a smash and destroy operation. Yet, Tony was needed for his experience. Natasha was needed since she was the expert on convert affairs. Captain was the leader, yet no one knew Crossfire better than Clint.

Captain nodded at Fury before asked "Who isn't going?"

"Doctor, we could use your help. Some radiation from Japan was stolen off of a criminal. Can you help them analyze it? I don't trust any of the new recruits with that." Fury rather order than questioned. Dr. Banner nodded, thankful he wouldn't have to go. "Hawkeye,"

"Hell no." Clint interrupted, glaring at his employer. "These are my enemies and-"

"Exactly, Agent Barton. They are _your_ enemies. You are better use here at communications since you know them." Fury insisted.

Clint shook his head stubbornly. He knew Fury wasn't worried about Crossfire, he was worried about Clint's reaction to Swordsman. The last time Clint had seen his ex-mentor was when he had his hands around Clint's throat. Granted, Clint didn't exactly want to see his old mentor, but he wasn't missing this assignment. Part of him lingered to beat his old mentor once and for all. The other part, the leftover teen in him, just wanted to hide from him. Fury knew that. Yet, Crossfire was so easy and so much fun to beat.

"Agent Barton, a word alone." Fury insisted, nodding to the small sound proof office where he would talk to the council. Clint rolled his eyes but he fallowed his employer into the office. "Barton, you are not going."

"Why not?" Clint questioned, crossing his muscular arms.

"I'll be frank with you, Barton. We suspect Swordsman called and old ally to help him with this. That ally being Trickshot. Trickshot might be there. Both your old mentors, who know you as well as Romanoff does, could be there. They've both beaten you before, granted you were still new, but it's not worth the risk. It's not worth losing you." Fury explained. To anyone else, it may have sounded like concern, but to Clint, he knew Fury just didn't want to lose a star agent.

Yet, Fury made it worse by mention Trickshot. Instead of being angry, Clint paled, remembering the last time he had seen Trickshot.

_ It had gone so wrong. Clint hadn't meant to agree to this, but after Trickshot mentored and healed him for a year, he figured one criminal act was fine to repay the man. Yet, Trickshot had killed Marko, and during the entire escape, Clint had fired an arrow at one of Marko's henchmen._

_ Barney._

_ His older brother._

_ Clint began shaking as he saw his brother collapse to the ground. He felt Trickshot pull him along, and when they escaped into the woods, Trickshot twisted around and glared at his student. "What the hell was that freeze up, Barton? I taught you better than that."_

_ "My brother, I...I…I shot him." Clint stuttered._

_ "So what. He was working for Marko. You don't freeze up, kid. You nearly cost us our lives." Trickshot hissed, his arrow still notched._

_ "So what? He was my brother! My only relative!" Clint yelled._

_ Trickshot lifted his bow, ready to kill his student if he didn't quiet down. "Kid, shut up before I have to permanently shut you up."_

_ Clint notched his own bow and slowly backed away from his mentor. He kept the arrow trained at him. "I knew this would happen. You and Swordsman are both insane. You both say I'm like a son to you, and as soon as I find out about your crap, you both don't even blink as you try to kill me."_

_ "Welcome to the criminal word kid. Sure, I'll feel guilty for killing my apprentice, but I'll get over it." Trickshot said, letting an arrow fly. Clint ducked while letting his own fly. _

_ Before long it turned to a total free for all. Clint kept firing arrows to divert the ones his mentor was firing at him. Once in a while one would graze him, but he ignored it and continued to fire back and walk backwards. He reached for an arrow and froze._

_ All out._

_ Gulping, he felt his back hit a tree. He cursed his luck and waited for his death._

_ Trickshot shook his head and smiled sadly. "What's rule number five?"_

_ "Always know where you're going." Clint recited nervously._

_ "What's rule number one?"_

_ "Always know how many arrows you have." Clint answered. Oops._

_ Trickshot nodded. "I have ten left. How do I know that, Clint?"_

_ "You've been counting while you were firing." The eighteen year old said._

_ "Very good." He let eight fly in twelve seconds. Clint squirmed and counted the eight arrows. Four on his left, and four on his right. The eight had caught his clothing and pinned him to the tree._

_ Trickshot shook his head. "One more left. You're lucky I'm feeling merciful."_

_ "Buck, where are you going?" Clint asked._

_ "One day kid," Trickshot let the last arrow fly so it slipped smoothly by Clint's head, just above his ear, and into the tree. Clint squeezed his eyes close as the arrow became visible through his side vision. He opened his eyes to see Trickshot at his side. "Next time I see you kid, I will kill you. Bye, my little Hawkeye." He whispered in Clint's ear before disappearing._

"Hawkeye!" Fury yelled for the third time.

Clint sighed and ran a hand through his hair before pinching the bridge of his nose. He glanced at Fury who was smirking as if to say 'told you so'.

"Okay, so maybe me being there won't be a good idea. So what? No one knows those two like I do. There is a reason they always treated me like a son." Clint insisted.

Fury shook his head. "No. That's final, Hawkeye. You just froze up as soon as I mentioned Trickshot, and you just flinched when I said it again. You are not going and that is final."

Hawkeye glared at him but knew it was a lost cause to argue.

"And if you even _think_ about going by yourself, I will give you ten years' worth of paperwork, let Romanoff slowly kill you, then make you listen to Tony's rants. Understood?" Fury threatened.

Hawkeye flinched. "Yes, sir."

"Alright, let's get back out there."

"Sir?" Hawkeye began.

"What?" Fury asked as he paused in front of the door.

"Are you going to tell them about Carson's?" Hawkeye questioned quietly. He never wanted any of them to know about Carson's.

Fury stared at him, never seeing this much emotion in his agent. Of course, to the untrained eye, Hawkeye wasn't showing any emotion. Yet, he could see the young adult turning over memories that had haunted him for nearly a decade. Nothing scared the man more than his two mentors, his two father figures, still being alive and wanting to kill him. "Your name won't be mentioned in it."

"And Barney's?"

"No. I'll use his allies." Fury answered, shaking his head. Assassins never seized to amaze him. He walked out of the office, letting Clint get lost in his childhood memories. He stood and stared at the team of three. "Alright, Jacques Duquesne, aka Swordsman. He was a performer for Carson's Carnival of Travelling Wonders. The expert swordsman and knife thrower. He's also a very gifted acrobat. He had a gambling problem, and his handler was Marko. One day, one of the young performers caught Swordsman stealing cash to pay back Marko. Swordsman killed the kid, let him fall from a tight rope, and then left Carson's."

Steve shook his head. "Poor kid."

"Not only that, but the kid was his apprentice. Him and his co-worker, Trickshot, mentored the kid for four years. Treated him like a son. We suspect Trickshot might also be in this. He was an expert archer for the carnival. He left Carson's for unknown reasons before investing in crime. He killed Marko, and no one has heard of him since. He has terminal cancer, so he shouldn't be too big of a threat." Fury explained, knowing where to lie to protect Hawkeye's identity.

"Go to Egypt. Stop them by all means necessary. We'd like prisoners. Simple as that." Fury ordered. "Disband."

Clint sat in the council office, running his fingers along the bow line, debating whether or not to listen to Fury. The rational, smart, warrior in him said listen to orders, and he'd be an idiot to go anyway. The vengeful, confused, child in him said go. Their his old enemies, he's beat one of three before, and he could beat the other two now that he knew what he was doing.

He wished Coulson was there.

Coulson always knew what to do.

Agent Coulson had been his handler since he first started SHIELD at twenty two. The man was one of the few at SHIELD that actually showed emotion. He would always harass the young agent. Yet, he always knew how to make Clint smile. He got under his skin the way a father would. Yet, unlike his two previous mentors, Coulson actually was kind. When he was young, Clint had been too naïve to see how Swordsman and even Trickshot had been using him. He knew Coulson wasn't. Even when he broke council orders and brought Black Widow to SHIELD, Coulson had just sighed, helped him, and then lectured him. Clint could remember it like it was yesterday.

_A twenty-three year old Clint peeked his head into Agent Coulson's office. "Coulson," he began._

_ Coulson sighed. "What did you do?"_

_ "Um, you know that assignment I just went on?" Clint began._

_ Coulson turned around in his chair. "Yes."_

_ "Well, um, I kind of, didn't, well, go through with it." Clint mumbled._

_ Coulson shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you mean?"_

_ "Um, I decided to bring her back here instead."_

_ "Why?" _

_ "Because I thought she deserved a second chance." Clint answered hesitantly._

_ Coulson sighed and shook his head. "Bring her in. I swear, hell will freeze over before you follow orders."_

_ Clint just laughed._

Clint smiled sadly. He sincerely missed the man.

He would probably tell Clint go. He knew Clint could handle himself around Crossfire, and he could probably handle his old mentors too. When they had first fought, Clint had no experience. When he fought Trickshot, he knew little other than what the man he was fighting taught him. Yet, now Clint could handle them. He had heard that comment about cancer. While the slow death somewhat saddened him, he figured Trickshot was getting what he deserved. Karma's a bitch.

Convinced Coulson would want him to go, Clint grabbed his bow and left the office to go change and become Hawkeye.

**Once again **thanks for the alerts and thanks to **Olimpia** for the review.

**Please review and leave me your vote!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for favorite, alerts, and review from blackdog-lz, project alpha BBB, longlinelivelong 639.**

Chapter Five- Old Friends

"So, comrades, it's just the three of us. Why isn't Hawkeye here?" Tony questioned the beautiful redhead in the plane.

"Fury thinks he's better off in communications. Apparently Crossfire will recognize him and our cover will be blown." She said, examining her favorite gun. Truth be told, she thought Fury's call was ridiculous too, but the director was the director. Clint could easily beat Crossfire, but something told her both Fury and Hawkeye were hiding something.

"Bullshit. We don't _have_ a cover. He knows Crossfire better than anyone. He should be here." Tony insisted. "There is something Fury told him in that office that he didn't tell us."

"All well. We're here, it's quick, and we'll get the job done. Now, what's the plan?" Captain said, looking at their expert assassin.

"Land, hide out, wait for the deal to begin. In my experience, deals usually go south, and that's when we strike. If it doesn't go south, we make it look like they began firing on each other. Swordsman isn't walking into this alone. He'd be an idiot to." Natasha explained, her slight accent purring with her excitement.

"Sounds like a good plan."

"Agents, deployment in ten minutes." The pilot called.

* * *

"Clint, buddy, old pal. How are you?" Jorge Latham, a former employee of Cross Technological Enterprises and trusted friend of Hawkeye asked as he jumped out of the helicopter. He spread his arms and hugged his old friend and co-worker.

"Alright, Jorge. How about you?" Hawkeye asked. He was completely dressed for the mission, including his protective gear, combat boots, mask, and trusty bow and arrow. He had his mask in his back pocket and his quiver around his back.

"Great. Wife and I are expecting our second kid. You got a girl yet or are you still a playboy?" Jorge, only a few years older than Clint, questioned with a smile.

"Single and I quit the playboy days." Clint said, slight blush by his ears.

"So that beautiful redhead and you…" Jorge raised an eyebrow.

"Assassins don't kiss and tell, sorry bud. Plus, she could kill me easily." Clint said, chuckling.

"So can you. I watched Manhattan, bud you looked unbeatable. My wife said she might leave me for you, and my son worships you and your friends." Jorge said, punching his shoulder lightly.

"Thanks, Jorge. I'll have to stop by after this mission." Clint didn't add in the 'if I live' phrase.

"You do that, old pal. You ready?" He asked.

"Yeah."

* * *

Natasha landed gracefully on the ground, wishing she could just land without a parachute like the two boys with her. She unclipped the strings and ditched the parachute before quietly heading to a few boxes. Using her dagger, she cut a hole in one.

"Well, there is our proof." Steve whispered, eyeing the machine guns.

"I'll say." Tony whispered.

Natasha put the dagger back in her belt and listened closely to the conversation the two arms dealers were beginning.

"Swordsman, it is great to meet someone with as low a tolerance for our enemy as me. It's very fortunate Bullseye gave me your name." Crossfire began.

Natasha shook her head. Bullseye. Another one of Clint's enemies.

"Yes well, my little apprentice has a knack for making enemies. He wasn't like that when I trained him. No, his problem when I trained him was he was too kind and heroic. Seems that hasn't died." Swordsman stated with a snort.

"For amusement purposes, please tell me more about your little apprentice who has managed to piss me off for over five years." Crossfire began. He was wearing his red suit with the white cross and the red square in the middle. Who puts a red square over their hear is a question for another day. Crossfire's one gray was full of anger and hatred while the other eye was cover by a red eye patch.

"My sweet, little, irriatating wonder boy? He joined us at Carson's at fourteen. Trickshot and I saw potential and trained him. He became very good, but still too damn sweet for his own good. The day before his eighteenth birthday, I killed him. Or so I thought." Swordsman grumbled the last sentence.

Steve really pitited the young teen. He sounded like he could have been great for SHIELD.

"If he dissapeared when he was eighteen, where was he for the four years between then and SHIELD?" Swordsman questioned, wondering if Crossfire knew anything.

Steve and Tony glanced at each other before looking at Natasha. She shook her head, a sick suspicion settling in her stomach.

"Those were the glorious criminal years. With Crimson Cowl, Bullseye, and all the other criminals his age. Apparently dear Bullseye and him used to be good friends." Crossfire stated, smirking. "Enough about our little nemisis. Do you have the money?"

"Of course." Swordsman, wearing a 'glorified' purple suit answered. He pulled the money out of his pocket. "Straight from Castro and North Korea's military genius themselves."

"Lovely." Crossfire purred.

"This is going way too civil." Tony whispered to Natasha. "Can we raise hell?"

"Wait for my-" Natasha stopped as she watched Crossfire's army.

Suddenly one of the Death-Throws fell to the ground with a scream. Then, another, and then one by one, the Death-Throws dripped to the ground. Crossfire whipped around and walked backwords to Swordsman. The two villians stood side by side, looking for the sniper. Both had weapons drown, trying to fire at the killer. Swordsman growled as he saw an arrow kill the last Death-Throws.

"Fury is going to kill him." Natasha whispered.

"Clinton!" Swordsman hissed, using his old students nickname. He would only call Clint Clinton when he was about to lecture the young student. Like when Clint accidently flung the knife at the training lion taimer.

"Well, well, old man, how are you?" Hawkeye's voice questioned. "Forgive me, I meant the one in the purple suit. I see we've graduated from gambling, Jacques."

"Come out here so I can kill you for real this time, brat." Jacques growled.

"Now, now, let's not be hastey. It is two to one and I believe I am more than equiped to let this go smoothly." Hawkeye said, still in his nest.

Natasha rolled her eyes against her partner's antics. "Hawkeye, we're having a _long_ conversation back at hq." She said, standing up with her gun trained. She ushered for Tony and Captain to stay where they were.

"Yes, ma'am. Nice of you to joing the party, Black Widow." Clint said, landing soothly on his feet. He stood about twenty yards from his enemies, smirking. "Well, old man, miss me?"

"Like a thorn in my side." Swordsman answered.

"And Crossfire, do you ever give up? Do I really need to hand you your ass _again_?" Clint questioned, bow knotched perfectly.

"You little-"

_BAM!_

Clint glanced at Natasha from the corner of his eye. "Really? I had it under control. Do you have to ruin all the fun?"

Natasha rolled her eyes.

"I think I've shown I can take you, old man. I'm not seventeen anymore. You can't cut a rope and strangle me right now." Clint said, his entire body, face, and stance emotionless.

Swordsman stared at his apprentice before smiling. "Trickshot!"

Clint dove to the ground as an arrow flew right over his head. He let one fly up into the trees while trusting Natasha to take care of Swordsman. "Captain! Iron Man! Now might be a good time to emerge! Ten more Death-Throws coming from the left."

Clint didn't need to look to know the two were on their way. Instead, leaving Natasha to Swordsman, he snaked back towards his nest to look for Trickshot. He closed of all senses but sight and hearing. Footsteps sound from-

"Hold still, or I will hurt you." The old mentor's voice whispered in his ear.

Clint, knowing Trickshot had his bow and arrow ready, twisted around. He fired an arrow towards the shoulder region and ducked low. He continued firing and dodging, the whole process second nature to him. He held the last five arrows and watched his mentor grab his injured shoulder. "Damn, kid. I said hold still." Trickshot growled.

"Sorry." Clint said, rolling his eyes. He looked over his mentor. "Well, I learned. I know where I am and how many I have left."

"Good. Next time, listen first." Trickshot said, rolling her eyes.

"Talk quick, Buck. I don't have time for this." Clint said, relaxing his muscles but keeping his aimed arrow ready.

"I came here to help you kid. Crossfire put a bounty out on your arm. Wanted it severed. Where's your wife?" Trickshot questioned.

"Ex. Left her after Phantom Rider mess. Haven't seen her since. Why should I trust you?" Clint questioned, speaking of his ex-wife as if they were talking about a sports game. He had married her when he was twenty-one and they split when he was twenty-three.

"I don't really have an answer to that."

Clint rolled his eyes. "How do you know that's what Crossfire wanted?"

"It sounds insane yet brilliant. An archer isn't any good without an arm. You'd be screwed." Trickshot said, holding his shoulder.

"God he's an idiot." Clint mumbled.

"You used to be one of him." Trickshot whispered, disappointment in his voice.

"That was a long time ago." Clint mumbled, face flushing red with shame.

"It was five years ago that you quit. Bullseye, Daredevil, Mockingbird, you, and all the others disbanded five years ago. You, Barbara and a few others went good, the othes stayed bad. You and her couldn't get along, you split. Clint, why did you join Deathstrike when you hated crime?" Trickshot questioned.

Clint's arm was shaking. "It was all I knew. You and Swordsman made sure of that." He whispered the last sentence.

"Kid, I thought you were better than that."

"Why are _you_ of all people lecturing me? You and Swordsman nearly killed me because I wouldn't become a criminal! How do you know about all this anyway? Even my partners don't know." Clint questioned, feeling like he was eighteen again. Seems Swordsman and Trickshot had the effect on him.

"You're right, I shouldn't be lecturing you, but I am. Kid, I didn't want you to be like me. You want to know how I know all this? I've been keeping tabs on you. First, Barney did it. He lived at Marko's. Egghead killed him later though. After that, I followed the news. I kept contact with Swordsman. I dug in and talked to your ex-wife. I wanted to make sure you didn't become like me. You were my student, my legacy, me _son_." Trickshot said, eyes sad. "Kid, when I got diagnosed with cancer, I realized how bad my life had been. You were the one good thing I ever did. I felt horrible for what I did to you. I never came after you because I never wanted to. Same with Swordsman."

"So your both on my side? Like I haven't heard that before." Clint responded, tapping his ear piece. "Black Widow, don't kill him."

He heard her groan. "Why not? I was just about to."

"Just stand down. Please." He begged, putting his arrow away.

"You and I are having an even longer conversation now. Captain agrees, as does Iron Man." She answered.

"Yeah, I know. I'm almost done here." Clint said, shaking his head. "You got two options, Trickshot. A, I kill you. B, I take you prisoner to SHIELD."

His old mentor laughed. "Option B."

Clint nodded, a small smile forming on his face. "Thought so. Come on, Buck."

"Alright twit, but one more thing."

Clint froze, sensing a trap. "What?" He asked, reaching for his bow.

"I saw Manhattan. I'm proud of you, kid. Real proud." Trickshot said, punching his shoulder lightly. "I liked it better when he were as tall as my shoulder if that."

Clint smiled and relaxed. "You wish."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the review Project Alpha BBB.**

**HAVE FUN WITH THE ENDING! EVIL LAUGH!**

Chapter Six- Consequences

"AND FURTHER MORE, if you EVER, and I mean EVER, disobey my direct orders again, I will fire you so fast you will have whip lash!" Fury yelled at Clint that next day.

Clint stared at his boss, wondering if he was done. Fury had been going at it for over an hour, and Clint still had to deal with Natasha, Steve, Bruce, and Tony.

After the team had taken their two prisoners and gotton back to SHIELD, Fury had given Trickshot a pardon for helping save Clint's career. Of course, Clint had decided to let the man go, but not before making full amends. Turns out, everything Trickshot had said was true. Clint even called his ex-wife to make sure and after a few minutes of conversation, she had confirmed it.

As for Swordsman, well, he 'got away'. Truth be told, Clint had to beg Natasha to let his ex-mentor go. Fury knew this, but chose to ignore it. Clint had threatened his old mentor, and Swordsman seemed to mean well.

"Sir, are you done?" Clint asked.

Fury nodded. "Get out of here, Barton."

Clint jumped up to leave. As his hand landed on the door handle, Fury mumbled one last thing. "Good job, Barton. Trickshot has a reason to be proud."

Clint smiled sadly. "Thanks sir."

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Natasha yelled at him later that night. Of course, to add to the humiliation, Pepper had to be there along with the whole team.

"Take a number." Clint mumbled, earning a hard cuff on the back of his head. He grumbled and rubbed the back of his head.

"What the hell kind of stunt was that, Barton?" She growled.

_God, she's using my last name. Help me._ He thought before putting on a charming smile. "Nat, chill. It wasn't a stunt. I had to go. I had to settle this with Swordsman and Trickshot."

She rolled her eyes. "So, explain this whole thing. Obviously you were the kid Swordsman tried to kill, but obviously he failed."

Clint sighed. "Do I have to?" He whined.

"Yes." Nearly all of the team snapped.

He winced. "So, after I discovered what Swordsman did, I ran. He chased me up to the tightrope, and I began to cross. Yes, Tony, I have walked a tighrope. I lived four years in a circus."

Pepper snickered at her boyfriend's pout.

"Anyway, he cut the wire and I fell. Somehow I only snapped my leg, sent the tibia right through my skin, and broke a couple ribs." Clint said, shrugging.

"That sounds like it hurt." Tony said, flinching. "It went right through the skin."

Clint nodded. "Anyway, here's where it turns murky. Everyone believed that was how I died, falling from the rope, but it's not. Swordsman came down and strangled me. I reached for my bow by he snapped my right arm at the radius. I fell unconscious while he was strangling me."

Natasha's eyes flared. Clint smiled and squeezed her hand that was under the table.

"I woke up to Trickshot and my older brother. My brother had found me and he and Trickshot started to heal me. My older brother, Barney, left after a month or so. Trickshot helped me get better and continued to train me. After a few months Trickshot asked me to go on a job with him. I agreed."

"Bad Bird Brain!" Tony yelled playfully.

Clint rolled his eyes. "I figured I owed him. I went, he killed Marko- who rightfully deserved it- and I killed one of the guards. I realized too late the guard was my older brother."

Clint closed his eyes and swollowed. The most guilt, after everything, came from that. The world had been lifted off his shoulders when Trickshot told him to he hadn't been Barney's killer. "I just found out he lived and Egghead later killed him, but anyway… Trickshot had to yank me out of there because I was shaking so much. When we got into the safe zone, he spun around and started yelling at me for nearly getting us killed. I then told him about Barney and he told me so what. I got pissed, started yelling, and he threatened to kill me if I didn't quiet down. We got into an… arcery?... fight and he pinned me to the tree with his arrows. Left me there."

Tony snorted. "Good job, Bird… OW! Pepper!"

Pepper smiled sweetly and motioned for Clint to continue.

Clint smiled. "I got out of there, don't ask how, and spent the next four years on the run. Actually, I shouldn't say that. I tried to play superhero but _somebody_ *cough* Tony, thought I was a theif."

"That is not fair!" Tony yelled, pointing at Hawkeye. "He looked like Robin Hood."

Natasha acutally started laughing, as did Banner and Steve.

Clint glared at him. "So, after Tony so nicly beat up an eighteen year old kid, I ran for the next few years."

"Ran my… What? I'm the reason he got a job with SHIELD." Tony said to his annoyed girlfriend.

Clint continued as if Tony hadn't interrupted. "Got married, joined SHIELD at twenty-two, and then divorced. Then spared _someone's_ life."

He glanced at his partner who smirked.

"You were married? Was she hot? Not that I care." Tony said quickly, noticing Pepper's glare.

"Blond, blue eyes, curves, Pepper, he's drooling." Clint said, smirking, leaning over to Natasha he whispered "I like redheads better."

She rolled her eyes and punch him in the leg. He jumped before smirking.

"I'm hungry. Let's go to that new little pizza parlor." Tony suggested, already grabbing his car keys.

"Who's paying?" Steve asked.

"Bird brain for witholding evidance about a case!" Tony yelled as the elevator closed.

"I'm not paying." Clint grumbled as he and the rest of team followed.

"Bird brain, live a little!" Tony yelled, punching Clint's arm.

"I am living! What do you want?" Clint argued.

Pepper snickered and leaved over to Natasha. "They're such children."

Natasha nodded. "Has Tony always been like this?"

Pepper pretended to think for a bit. "Yup."

Natasha began to snicker.

"Will you just chill!" Tony yelled at Clint next.

"Will you stop yelling?" Clint growled.

"Come on, Bird Brain!"

"Quit-"

"Clint?" Tony began.

Clint's face had gone stark white pale. His right hand was trembling while his left reached down to grab its matching side. He gripped the table like a life line. He turned around and looked up at the tower cielings. When he saw nothing his eyes darter around looking for something… or someone. His eyes finally locked on a figure just staying in position. The figure was in an allyway, letting just enough light shine on his face. He smirked at Clint and mouthed "miss me?" before walking back into the darkness of the allyway. Shaking his head, Clint grabbed Banner's arm, since the man was the closest, and leaned for support. Banner looked down at Clint's side and jumped up. "Quick! He's been shot!"

Natasha went to Clint's side as Steve dove to help Banner get Clint on the ground. Pepper got on the phone with 911 while Tony went over to his team. "Clint, listen to me. Stay with me!" Banner ordered.

"Nat," Clint groaned.

"I'm listening." She whispered, gripping his hand.

"On my phone, call SW, QS, and DS. Tell them…" Clint grit his teeth as Banner began to work on stopping the blood flow.

"Tell them what? Who are they?" She begged, trying to keep him talking.

"Bullseye." Clint graoned before his eyes rolled back into his skull.

Five voices rang out "CLINT!"

**Tud Duh! Working on sequal and would like to finish before I publish.**


	7. Note and Sneak Peak

Thanks for all the favorites and reviews, I know I am evil for that ending. I'm working on sequel but exams are this week. **EVERYONE WHO PUT THIS ON ALERT**, it is done. Use Author Alert for the sequel. Here's a little sneak peak:

* * *

"Find the jewels. I don't have to say or else, do I?" Ben asked.

"It's a wild goose chase, Piondexter." Clint insisted.

"We found them once, we can find them again. Actually, you can find them. As can Pietro, Wanda, and Laynia. Their hardly innocent in this." Ben insisted.

"I've got a better idea, instead of me doing your dirty work, we'll do it together. First person to find the jewels wins. Then, we leave Deathstrike to die. For real this time." Clint said, glancing at Pietro who shook his head.

"I love it. Matt, Amora, Justine, and me versus you four? No one else is involved. Only use people for cashing in on favors." Ben said, smirking in his Paris café. He glanced at the blond goddess who smiled slyly. The brown buzz cut man nodded with intrigue. As for the brunette, she smiled sweetly yet viciously.

Clint glanced at his team. Wanda ran a hand through her hair but nodded. Laynia thought for a moment before nodding. As for Pietro, he sighed but gave a thumbs up. Pressing a button on his watch, he flashed into his superhero uniform. "Deal."

"May the best team win, adios." Ben said, hanging up his phone.

Clint sighed as the phone went dead. "God, what did I just do?"

"Agree to a crazy game with all of our lives at stake."

* * *

Alpha/Good Team: Clint Barton, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, and Laynia Petrovna

Deathstrike Reborn/ Bad: Ben Piondexter, Justine Hammer, Matthew Murdock, and Amor

Peace out!


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